The company that was founded in 1856 by the 21 year old Thomas Burberry, opened its first store in the town of Hampshire, England. The company is well known for its Check pattern and is copied throughout the world. By the 1870 the company was focused on developing outdoor wear. Thomas created the fabric gabardine, which is a very durable water resistant fabric and was patented in 1888.
The company headquarters was opened in a emporium in Haymarket, London in 1891, which it still stands today. The logo for Burberry was developed and trademarked in 1904, and they also outfitted at the time Roald Amundsen, he was the first man to reach the south pole, and in 1914 the man who lead an expedition across Antarctica, Ernest Shackleton. During the first World War the War office commissioned Burberry to create an officer's coat, which eventually became what is known today as the modern trench coat. This design was popularized by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Peter Seller in the Pink Panther. The style and grace of the check pattern has been embraced by the most fashionable celebrities, new and old.
The Check pattern known as novacheck or the "Burberry check" was the lining that was used for their trench coats in the 20's. In the late 60's the design was widely used in their luggage, handbags and umbrellas. The check image had some issues in the 70's when it became popular with the British football crowd, which led to its association with hooligans. It became a running joke nationally and the South Wales police had a drive against anti-social behavior, they used the name Operation Burberry.
By the time the 90's rolled around the company brought in Model Kate Moss to help revitalize the brand with a national campaign. In December 2005 it was spun off as the Burberry Group. The company has 36 company-owned retail stores in the US: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.
